“Going to have all of members of press here”: Mamdani challenges Trump over WH media ban

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he told US President Donald Trump that all members of the press would be welcome at their meetings in NYC on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, pushing back against Trump's decision to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he told US President Donald Trump that all members of the press would be welcome at their meetings in NYC on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, pushing back against Trump's decision to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House. Mamdani made the remarks during a press conference at Gracie Mansion after he met with Trump, when a reporter asked whether he had challenged the US President over the decision to restrict access to the three media organisations.

“I told the President that we're going to have all of the members of the press here on the lawn. And that is something that I believe in, as everyone, no matter the opinion or the critique, that we engage," the NYC Mayor said. The remarks came as the dispute over White House media access intensified, with CNN, MS NOW and Politico filing a federal lawsuit challenging the administration's decision to revoke their White House access.

Trump, speaking to reporters here, defended his decision and mocked suggestions that media organisations would boycott him. “They said they were going to boycott me, but they never boycott me. So I wasn't very worried about that. Look at all that press,” Trump said.

Trump said the restrictions were based on what he described as an obligation of the press to report fairly. “I'm only doing it because I think the press also has an obligation,” Trump said.

He specifically criticised CNN and MS NOW, saying, “If you look at CNN, it's fake news. If you look at MS Now—I don't even know what MS Now is,” while accusing the outlets of being biased. “I think that these outlets have an obligation to be fair. And if they're fake news, I really think I have an obligation not to allow them into another very special house,” Trump said, referring to the White House.

“They're very bad for the country, very bad for national security, so I have that obligation," he added. The three media organisations have challenged the restrictions in federal court, alleging that the decision violates First Amendment press protections and Fifth Amendment due process rights. A federal hearing is scheduled in Washington.

The dispute began after Trump announced on Friday that CNN, MS NOW and Politico would be barred from the White House, accusing the organisations of repeatedly publishing what he called “fake news.” Journalists from the affected outlets were subsequently denied entry to the White House grounds, while some press credentials were disabled or confiscated.

The White House has defended the policy by arguing that while the First Amendment protects the right of news organisations to publish, it does not automatically guarantee an individual outlet access to the White House grounds, briefing room or presidential press pool. The controversy has also affected the White House television pool. CNN had been scheduled to serve as the television pool network for Trump's New York trip, but its removal disrupted the traditional arrangement under which participating networks share footage of presidential events with other news organisations. Other television networks subsequently halted pool coverage in solidarity with the affected outlets.

In their joint statement, CNN, MS NOW and Politico said the government should not decide “what the press reports or publishes". (ANI)